After decade of uncertainty, Plainfield biomass plant fires up

Monday

Jan 6, 2014 at 11:09 AM

John Penney

PLAINFIELD — State and local officials gathered Monday inside a white tent off Norwich Road in Plainfield to formally dedicate Plainfield Renewable Energy’s new 37.5-megawatt biomass plant, the planning and construction of which was never a sure thing.

“There were times when we were undertaking this project that we really wondered if this was ever really going to happen,” First Selectman Paul Sweet said. “It seemed every time we made three steps forward, another mountain would come out of the ground.”

Since its conception more than 10 years ago, the $225 million project weathered uncertain financing, a grassroots opposition campaign and a series of meetings in a neighboring town that threatened to derail the plan. But on Monday, representatives from Virginia-based Leidos Holdings, which took over construction of the plant from the Envola Energy group during a foreclosure process last year, were all smiles.

“Under an extremely aggressive deadline, we were able to complete this project on schedule,” said John Jumper, Leidos chairman and chief executive officer. “And to the community, we’ve tried to, and will continue to, be good citizens. We realize we’re guests here, and we hope you’re as proud as we are.”

The Class 1 renewable energy plant, built on 27 acres of former brownfields land, began feeding electricity to the grid late last month, 30 months after construction began. The plant, a 12-story building laced with conveyors, has the potential to power the equivalent of 37,000 homes using a variety of fuel sources, including construction and demolition wood debris, recycled wood pallets and land-clearing materials. Connecticut Light & Power is contracted to purchase 80 percent of the plant’s power based on a 15-year agreement.

Plant representatives said dozens of trucks from across New England will drop off loads of wastewood to the plant daily. Once burned, the wood heats boilers, which produce pressurized steam that spin turbines. U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said the sight of those trucks on Monday was worth the struggle to get the plant operational.

“It’s nice to see an energy source coming from Eastern Connecticut instead of the Middle East,” Courtney said. “After the last 10 brutal years, it’s very exciting.”

During the state permitting process for the project — when it was a joint venture between Florida-based Decker Energy International Inc. and NuPower LLC — the Friends of the Quinebaug River, a coalition of residents opposed to the plant’s cooling systems on environmental grounds, lobbied against the plan.

In May 2012, Canterbury selectmen agreed to a $3 million settlement with Plainfield Renewable Energy, or PRE, to avoid going to trial. The settlement, preceded by several town meetings, public hearings and referendums, allowed PRE to install water pipelines under Packer Road to the Quinebaug River for plant cooling. In return, the town would receive $3 million over 20 years for its ambulance company, library, recreation improvements and the repaving and reconstruction of Packer Road, among other items.

During Monday’s event, guests were given a tour of the facility, which is expected to be run with a 30-person staff.

Sweet said the town is waiting for an appraisal to determine how much tax revenue the plant will generate for the town. Original estimates hovered around about $800,000 annually, but Sweet said those figures are no longer accurate.

“A lot of money went into that plant,” Sweet said. “It’s bringing jobs, commerce and tax revenue to town.”